8" or 9.5" Wheel?
07-17-2021, 01:05 AM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
8" or 9.5" Wheel?
I hope I'm posting this in the right place! I have made the decision on what size tires I want to go with on my stock '73.
I currently have 255/60/15's all the way around, and the 255/50/17 is basically the same tire width and height, so I'm using that for the front tires.
I'd like to go with 275/50/17's in the rear, but wanted to ask if the wheel width would make any difference. Nitto's website for the 555 G2 tires shows the 275/50/17's should be mounted on anything from 7.5" to 9.5" with the 8.5" being their optimal choice for the tire. The wheels I want come in either the 8" or 9.5", and since I'm going to be close for clearance, I was wondering if the wheel width would make any difference as for clearance. The 8" wheel has 4.5" BS and 0 offset, and the 9.5" wheel 5.5" BS and +6mm offset. I'm also considering a 9" wheel that comes in 5" BS and 0 offset. I have been reading that every car seems to be a bit different, so there is no guarantee, and I understand the tire width is the main concern, but was wondering if the wheel width also comes into play in the equation also. If someone could give me an idea if one over the other is better or not, please let me know.
Also, if I could get personal opinions..........I'm not sure whether or not to go with polished or chrome wheels. The '73 as you know has a rubber front bumper and a chrome rear bumper, and I have polished side-pipes, so I was going to go with polished wheels to match the side-pipes, but recently I've had a couple people say I should go chrome wheels to match the rear bumper. What say you?
Thanks in advance guys!
I currently have 255/60/15's all the way around, and the 255/50/17 is basically the same tire width and height, so I'm using that for the front tires.
I'd like to go with 275/50/17's in the rear, but wanted to ask if the wheel width would make any difference. Nitto's website for the 555 G2 tires shows the 275/50/17's should be mounted on anything from 7.5" to 9.5" with the 8.5" being their optimal choice for the tire. The wheels I want come in either the 8" or 9.5", and since I'm going to be close for clearance, I was wondering if the wheel width would make any difference as for clearance. The 8" wheel has 4.5" BS and 0 offset, and the 9.5" wheel 5.5" BS and +6mm offset. I'm also considering a 9" wheel that comes in 5" BS and 0 offset. I have been reading that every car seems to be a bit different, so there is no guarantee, and I understand the tire width is the main concern, but was wondering if the wheel width also comes into play in the equation also. If someone could give me an idea if one over the other is better or not, please let me know.
Also, if I could get personal opinions..........I'm not sure whether or not to go with polished or chrome wheels. The '73 as you know has a rubber front bumper and a chrome rear bumper, and I have polished side-pipes, so I was going to go with polished wheels to match the side-pipes, but recently I've had a couple people say I should go chrome wheels to match the rear bumper. What say you?
Thanks in advance guys!
07-17-2021, 08:36 AM
#2
Dementer sole survivor
Member Since: Oct 2015
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Find a local performance tire shop that has one of those fancy wheel jigs. They can slap that tool on your hub and tell you all the answers you want to know.
07-20-2021, 10:40 PM
#5
I hope I'm posting this in the right place! I have made the decision on what size tires I want to go with on my stock '73.
I currently have 255/60/15's all the way around, and the 255/50/17 is basically the same tire width and height, so I'm using that for the front tires.
I'd like to go with 275/50/17's in the rear, but wanted to ask if the wheel width would make any difference. Nitto's website for the 555 G2 tires shows the 275/50/17's should be mounted on anything from 7.5" to 9.5" with the 8.5" being their optimal choice for the tire. The wheels I want come in either the 8" or 9.5", and since I'm going to be close for clearance, I was wondering if the wheel width would make any difference as for clearance. The 8" wheel has 4.5" BS and 0 offset, and the 9.5" wheel 5.5" BS and +6mm offset. I'm also considering a 9" wheel that comes in 5" BS and 0 offset. I have been reading that every car seems to be a bit different, so there is no guarantee, and I understand the tire width is the main concern, but was wondering if the wheel width also comes into play in the equation also. If someone could give me an idea if one over the other is better or not, please let me know.
Also, if I could get personal opinions..........I'm not sure whether or not to go with polished or chrome wheels. The '73 as you know has a rubber front bumper and a chrome rear bumper, and I have polished side-pipes, so I was going to go with polished wheels to match the side-pipes, but recently I've had a couple people say I should go chrome wheels to match the rear bumper. What say you?
Thanks in advance guys!
I currently have 255/60/15's all the way around, and the 255/50/17 is basically the same tire width and height, so I'm using that for the front tires.
I'd like to go with 275/50/17's in the rear, but wanted to ask if the wheel width would make any difference. Nitto's website for the 555 G2 tires shows the 275/50/17's should be mounted on anything from 7.5" to 9.5" with the 8.5" being their optimal choice for the tire. The wheels I want come in either the 8" or 9.5", and since I'm going to be close for clearance, I was wondering if the wheel width would make any difference as for clearance. The 8" wheel has 4.5" BS and 0 offset, and the 9.5" wheel 5.5" BS and +6mm offset. I'm also considering a 9" wheel that comes in 5" BS and 0 offset. I have been reading that every car seems to be a bit different, so there is no guarantee, and I understand the tire width is the main concern, but was wondering if the wheel width also comes into play in the equation also. If someone could give me an idea if one over the other is better or not, please let me know.
Also, if I could get personal opinions..........I'm not sure whether or not to go with polished or chrome wheels. The '73 as you know has a rubber front bumper and a chrome rear bumper, and I have polished side-pipes, so I was going to go with polished wheels to match the side-pipes, but recently I've had a couple people say I should go chrome wheels to match the rear bumper. What say you?
Thanks in advance guys!
Here is what it looks like on my 78,
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